Deadly Iran protests continue as Trump renews intervention threat

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By JON GAMBRELL AP The death toll in violence surrounding protests in Iran has risen to at least 35 people, activists said Tuesday, as the demonstrations showed no signs of stopping. The figure came from the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which said more than 1,200 people have been detained in the protests, which have been ongoing for more than a week. It said 29 protesters, four children and two members of Iran’s security forces have been killed. Demonstrations have reached over 250 locations in 27 of Iran’s 31 provinces, The group, which relies on an activist network inside of Iran for its reporting, has been accurate in past unrest. A wave of protests sparked by Iran’s failing economy has continued for a ninth day, as President Donald Trump renewed his threat of US intervention. Trump warned on Sunday night that Iranian authorities would be “hit very hard” if more protesters died. “We’re watching it very closely. If they start killing people like they ...
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Separatist candidate wins presidential vote in Bosnia’s Serb region

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By Branko Filipovic and Daria Sito-sucic Reuters

A close ally of Bosnia’s Serb Republic separatist leader Milorad Dodik won a snap presidential election in a tight race with opposition candidate, the election commission said on Sunday, citing preliminary results.

“According to preliminary, unofficial and incomplete results, Sinisa Karan won 50.89% of the votes,” Jovan Kalaba, the commission’s president, said at a news conference.

Turnout was low at 35.78%, compared with 53% during a general vote in 2022, he said. More than 1.2 million people were eligible to vote. The election commission announced results based on 92.87% of counted votes.

The presidential mandate will last for less than a year since a general election is scheduled next October.

The election was called after Dodik was stripped of his office and banned from politics for six years.

Karan, who currently serves as Serb Republic minister of scientific and technological development, pledged to continue Dodik’s policies “with ever greater force.”

“As always when the times were difficult, the Serb people have won,” Karan said after Dodik had announced his victory at the headquarters of their ruling Alliance of Independent Social Democrats party (SNSD) party in the town of Banja Luka.

The SDS said it would request the repetition of the vote at three polling stations, citing major election irregularities.

Postwar Bosnia comprises the Serb Republic and the Federation, shared by Croats and Bosniaks, linked via a weak central government.

Pro-Russian separatist Dodik was convicted in February of defying the constitutional court and an international peace envoy, leading to Bosnia’s biggest political crisis since the end of its devastating war 30 years ago.

He repeatedly rejected the verdict but in October unexpectedly appointed a loyal ally as his temporary replacement and annulled a series of separatist laws previously adopted in parliament.

Days later, the United States lifted sanctions imposed against him, his allies and family members, praising the move as a step towards the “stabilisation” of Bosnia.



from The Times Of Earth https://ift.tt/aY1VDRt

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